Dawn Staley Drops Major Transfer Portal Spoiler as South Carolina Scrambles to Fill Kamilla Cardoso’s Void

For nearly a decade, South Carolina women’s basketball has been built on dominance in the paint. From A’ja Wilson to Aliyah Boston to Kamilla Cardoso, the Gamecocks’ success has often stemmed from a dominant post player holding down the middle. But with Cardoso now anchoring the Chicago Sky after being selected third overall in the 2024 WNBA Draft, South Carolina faces an unfamiliar reality — no true big to control the paint. For head coach Dawn Staley, the post presence that’s defined her program is gone, and Staley isn’t shy about the challenge.

“Um, yes. You got any help?” Staley quipped when asked about recruiting a true center in a call-in show, according to a recent post on X by sports reporter Michael Sauls.

Cardoso’s departure left a 6-foot-7-sized hole in the Gamecocks’ lineup. During her college career, Cardoso averaged 10.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 57.5% from the field. She was the backbone of South Carolina’s undefeated 2023-24 season, which culminated in a 38-0 record and a national championship win over Caitlin Clark’s Iowa Hawkeyes. It was the type of dominance that has become synonymous with Staley’s program.

Now, for the first time in a decade, South Carolina must find new ways to win without an elite post player. “This is the first time we don’t have that go-to post player in 10 years,” Staley admitted last October. “Which means it’s on everyone to work through this new approach, guards included.”

Freshman Joyce Edwards has stepped into the void — not as a direct replacement for Cardoso’s size, but as a versatile forward who brings length and athleticism to the paint. Edwards, a five-star recruit and South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, has impressed early. She’s averaging 9.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game, giving the Gamecocks a reliable interior presence despite standing just 6-foot-3. Edwards’ rise has drawn comparisons to some of South Carolina’s greats, but she’s still learning the ropes of holding down the post.

Staley has also leaned on Sania Feagin in the paint — and Feagin has delivered. In the SEC Championship game against Texas, Feagin was crucial. South Carolina’s 64-45 win was built on Feagin’s ability to handle the physicality of Texas’s frontcourt. “Proud. Proud,” Staley said of Feagin’s performance. “She stuck with us when it wasn’t popular. You can see if she wants to play anything less than her standard, she probably should have transferred — but she wanted to play to her standard, and she’s stepped up in a big way.”

Feagin finished with 11 points on 5-of-7 shooting, six rebounds, and two steals. Her ability to battle bigger post players and hold her ground in the paint has helped offset the loss of Cardoso. “We need her more than anything,” Staley added. “She’s been holding it down with bigger, stronger, more-girth post players because she’s smart, and she’s talented, and she’s skillful and she’s utilizing all those things right now.”

Chloe Kitts has also emerged as a key figure in South Carolina’s interior game. The 6-foot-2 junior has taken on an increased rebounding role to help fill the gap left by Cardoso. Kitts’ physical transformation has been a talking point all season — hours in the weight room have allowed her to hold her own against bigger, stronger post players. In the SEC Tournament semifinals against Vanderbilt, Kitts put on a show, scoring a career-high 15 points with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and a block. “It feels amazing,” Kitts said. “I couldn’t have done it without my teammates and my coaches.”

Staley has been strategic about preparing her team for the physical toll of life without a true center. Before a February matchup against Texas, she emphasized the importance of rebounding. “Rebounding isn’t a skillset, it’s a decision,” Staley said. “You’re either going to do it or you’re not going to do it. We’ve got to put some bodies on some people. We’ve got to prevent. You’ve got to control the paint.” Staley was clear about the stakes: “It’s no good to defend as well as we defend and give up 22 offensive rebounds. That puts too much pressure on us having to defend another 20 seconds.”

So far, the Gamecocks have managed the transition well. Their first loss this season came against UCLA, where 6-foot-7 Lauren Betts exploited South Carolina’s lack of size in the paint. Still, the Gamecocks responded, leaning on Feagin, Edwards, and Kitts to hold their ground. Their ability to adapt without a dominant post player is a testament to Staley’s coaching — but it’s also a reminder that the search for a true center isn’t over. Staley’s “You got any help?” comment wasn’t just a joke — it was a signal that South Carolina remains on the hunt for the next great post player. Until then, the Gamecocks will continue to adjust, scrap, and find new ways to win.

Staley makes her case: South Carolina’s statement win over Texas should lock up the No. 1 overall seed

After the victory over Texas in the SEC Championship, Dawn Staley didn’t mince words. South Carolina’s 64-45 dismantling of the Longhorns was more than just another trophy—it was proof that the Gamecocks deserve the No. 1 overall seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.

“When you win this tournament and play the schedule that we play, I do think we’re the No. 1 overall seed,” Staley said. “We manufactured our schedule to put ourselves in this situation. … There isn’t anybody in the country that has played the schedule that we have played, that had a share of the regular season title, won this tournament and beat the No. 1 team in the country. … There is no one.”

It’s hard to argue with her. The Gamecocks (30-3) entered the SEC Tournament ranked No. 5 nationally and projected as a No. 2 seed. But after dominating three opponents by 18, 21, and 19 points, they’ve made it impossible to overlook their resume. South Carolina’s regular-season gauntlet included 13 games against ranked teams—more than any other top-25 squad. And their 7-3 record against Top 10 teams includes wins over Texas (twice) and other elite programs.

Staley was “shocked” to see her team as a No. 2 seed coming into the tournament. “If you get so much credit for beating us, and yet when we’ve had some of the toughest stretches in the country and came out of it unscathed, you can’t discount that,” Staley said. “You can’t discredit that. I’m going to speak up about it because you have to hear the voice of the other side. Because if you don’t think our body of work deserves it, then you need to speak out on it.”

ESPN’s Charlie Creme backed Staley’s claim, moving South Carolina to the top seed in his latest Bracketology. “South Carolina’s dominant performance over Texas … allowed the Gamecocks to jump from No. 4 to No. 1,” Creme noted. Texas, which entered the day as the top overall seed, slipped to No. 4 after the loss.

Staley isn’t backing down. “I’m going to go down fighting for what our team earned,” she said. And after the way South Carolina handled business in the SEC Tournament, it’s hard to see how the committee could justify keeping them from the top spot.